Cutting the ribbon at Myra's Restaurant in Ottawa
OTTAWA — She's not even three, but little Myra Gupta has already cut the ribbon for two restaurants bearing her name. The second restaurant opened in Ottawa Feb. 15 at the Holiday Inn Ottawa East.

Choice Hotels Canada ends 2018 with three hotel openings
MISSISSAUGA — Choice Hotels Canada is pleased to share it opened three new hotels in the fourth quarter of 2018, with another eight anticipated for the first quarter of 2019.

COMMENT: The dual brand with extended stay
I never intended to have this edition of Canadian Lodging e-News become the dual-brand extended stay edition — but as the stories that follow show, some major players are looking at this phenomenon in a variety of market segments.

Sunray doubles hotel count in just four years
TORONTO — When CLN interviewed Sandeep Gupta four years ago, he said the company was hoping to have 20 hotels in the near future. Today, the company has close to 40 properties and is still growing.

Canada tops 100 Holiday Inn Express hotels
TORONTO – IHG now has more than 100 Holiday Inn Express hotels in Canada — 103 to be exact — not only is it the largest IHG brand in Canada, but IHG now the brand from coast to coast — St. John’s, N.L. to Victoria, B.C.”

New Prototype for Hampton by Hilton
With the new Hampton prototype, Hilton recognized an opportunity to leverage the latest architectural trends and construction materials, and explore cost-saving options. Shruti Gandhi Buckley outlines the changes in this Q&A article.

Hyatt plans to add 12 new hotels by 2020
TORONTO — Three years ago Hyatt had just five properties in Canada. Today it has nine. Now the company has announced that it will have 21 hotels in Canada by the end of 2020, all Hyatt House or Hyatt Place brands.

OPENINGS SALES & RENOS update May 15
Constantine opens in Anndore House Hotel. Four Seasons Vancouver to close in 2020. Vrancor opens Holiday Inn Express Brantford. Radisson Toronto Airport West is open for business.

Vrancor opens first NOTL hotels in a decade
NIAGARA ON THE LAKE — Vrancor Group, Darko Vranich’s hospitality company based in Hamilton, Ont., now has 19 hotels open, including a dual-branded Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites in Niagara on the Lake, which opened Apr. 10.

Comfort Inn & Suites a welcome addition to Kemptville
KEMPTVILLE, Ont — North Grenville mayor David Gordon is all in favour of the new Comfort Inn & Suites coming to his community as it will bring economic benefits and more business to the municipality.

Manga to invest $300M in downtown Toronto hotels
MISSISSAUGA — From one hotel in 1986, Manga Hotels has grown to include 16 properties, with another one being acquired this month in Buffalo, N.Y., and five more under construction or in the pipeline.

OPENINGS, SALES AND RENOS as of Jan. 23, 2018
Three new hotels for Choice bringing total to 329. Pangea Pod Hotel to open in Whistler this spring. Comfort opens more than a hotel a week in 2017. Country Inns & Suites changes its name. IHG plans a dozen new Canadian hotels in 2018.

It's TRU! Hilton's 'zest for life' brand arrives in Canada
MCLEAN, Va. — Tru by Hilton is expanding its development footprint to Canada. The first Tru comes to Edmonton in 2018, followed by Markham and Kingston, Ont. in 2019.

Twice burned Microtel opens in Fort Mac
CALGARY — It burned down twice, but the Microtel Inn & Suites, a new Canadian prototypical hotel, has now opened in Fort McMurray, Alta. The brand also opened in Aurora, Ont. late last month and plans two more openings next year.

Choice adds 5 properties in Q1
TORONTO — Franchisor Choice Hotels Canada opened five hotels during the first quarter of 2016, increasing the total number of properties in the system to 327, it was announced April 17.

Nobu plans hotel/condo in Toronto
TORONTO — Upscale Japanese-fusion restaurant chain Nobu is making its first foray into the Canadian market with a combination hotel/condo complex in Toronto, it was announced March 8.

Retro Suites: The Final Cut
CHATHAM, Ont. — A log cabin room complete with deer antler chandelier, a vision of Paris with multiple Eiffel towers and a sports room with a special-order rug resembling a football field are among the new rooms at Retro Suites.

Choice adds three properties in Q2
TORONTO — Choice Hotels Canada opened three Quality hotels during the second quarter of 2016, growing the total number of properties in the system to 318, it was announced July 14.

Towneplace Suites opens in Kincardine, Ont.
KINCARDINE, Ont. — Legacy Hospitality Management and Development has opened Towneplace Suites and Conference Centre, in Kincardine, Ont., it was announced May 26.

First Best Western Premier in Toronto
TORONTO — Best Western Hotels & Resorts has announced the debut of the Best Western Premier Toronto Airport Carlingview Hotel. This is the first Best Western Premier hotel in Toronto and the fourth in Canada.

Canada's second Home2 Suites opens in Milton
MILTON, Ont. — The second Home2 Suites by Hilton has opened in Milton, Ont., one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada. The 100-suite hotel is designed for travellers looking for a fresh, new stay experience.

Four Points opens in Barrie, Ont.
STAMFORD, CT — Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced on Jan. 15 that its Four Points brand has opened in Barrie, Ont., the banner’s 10th hotel in Ontario.

Windsor’s Waterfront hotel rebrands as Best Western PLUS
WINDSOR, ONT. — Vrancor Group announced on Nov. 24 that the former Waterfront Hotel Downtown Windsor has rebranded as Best Western PLUS Waterfront Hotel.

DoubleTree London celebrates launch with Nov. 2 ribbon cutting
LONDON, ONT. — About 40 people, including dignitaries, hotel industry executives and local business luminaries celebrated the launch of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel London at a Nov. 2 ribbon cutting.

Geoff Ballotti addresses upbeat Travelodge Canada conference
KELOWNA — Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotel Group, was part of a lively panel that looked what's happened at Travelodge Canada since Superior Lodging Corp. took over last spring.

Crowne Plaza’s Aqua fills niche
KITCHENER-WATERLOO, Ont. — The former Delta Kitchener has undergone a multimillion dollar transformation over the past two years, deflagged as a Delta in May 2013, and operating as an independent brand for a year while undergoing the renovations requir

Days Inn opens in Montreal East today
TORONTO — Realstar Hospitality is opening a Days Inn in Montreal East today, and earlier announced groundbreaking for a Days Inn & Suites in Warman, Sask., and an opening in Lindsay, Ont.

Hotel X: Toronto urban resort takes shape
TORONTO — When Henry Kallan, president of Library Hotel Collection, first took a helicopter ride over Toronto’s Exhibition Place, future site of Hotel X, he felt as though he were in St. Tropez.

Branded TownePlace & Courtyard By Marriott opens in Markham, ON
MARKHAM, ON—Marriott International announced on Jan. 13 that a combined 112-suite TownePlace Suites and 187-room Courtyard by Marriott has opened in Markham, Ont.

Realstar's dozen developments in 2014
Realstar Hospitality added 875 rooms and 12 hotels to its porfolio during 2014 in what the company calls "an unprecedented year for conversion and new construction growth."

Savoury: Not a chef's table
TORONTO—The Westin Harbour Castle today unveiled an intimate new restaurant where 10 guests can dine on five-course meals designed and prepared by celebrity chef Corbin Tomaszeski.

Converted Ronald McDonald House now Saint James Hotel
TORONTO—A building converted from a Ronald McDonald House reopened Sept. 12 as the 36-room Saint James Hotel in downtown Toronto, the latest addition to the Ascend Hotel Collection.

Skyline on the move at Horseshoe, Deerhurst, Bear Valley
Skyline International Development Inc. has broken ground for Copeland House condos, as part of its vision for world-class resort-village at Horseshoe, near Barrie, ON.

Wildfire goes Cosmopolitan in downtown Toronto hotel
TORONTO­—Wildfire Steakhouse and Wine Bar has been a neighbourhood fixture on Yonge Street between Lawrence and York Mills for 12 years, and now owner Jody Ness has brought his well-known eatery to the downtown Cosmopolitan Hotel on Colborne Street.

Chayell breaks ground on downtown Oshawa Holiday Inn
OSHAWA, ON—Chayell Hospitality Group and Oshawa dignitaries marked the beginning of construction of the six-storey downtown Holiday Inn Express and Convention Centre with an official groundbreaking ceremony on June 6.

IHG’s new Crowne Plaza for Kitchener
KITCHENER, ON — InterContinental Hotels Group plans to open a Crowne Plaza hotel in downtown Kitchener, Ontario, in late 2013, after a multi-million dollar renovation which began last month.

SilverBirch opens up an Eastern office
TORONTO—Vancouver-based SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts has set up a new corporate satellite office at 10 Four Seasons Place near Burnhamthorpe and Highway 427 in Toronto, to help support the company’s growing portfolio of hotel and conference facilities

A brand new Drake in downtown Toronto
TORONTO—After cryptic details were released about a new Drake outpost in downtown Toronto in early March, further information about a standalone concept in Toronto’s Financial District are out.

$21-million Holiday Inn Express project for downtown Oshawa
OSHAWA—The construction of a downtown Oshawa Holiday Inn Express is expected to get underway this fall after a land deal between the city and a developer closed March 28.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND

Fourteen years ago, Canadian Lodging News emerged on the Canadian scene, quickly developing a reputation for timely accurate news delivered with impact. After a brief hiatus, CLN is back. We are now online only, offering an electronic newsletter 22 times per year on the first and third Tuesdays of the month, a website that is constantly updated and a pervasive social media presence. More news and more of the sections readers enjoy — but faster delivery to a targeted, committed hotel industry audience.